Designer Colette van den Thillart’s island vacation home is a great getaway, but its smart indoor/outdoor vibe can be applied to personal havens, too.

Homeowner and designer Colette van den Thillart chose to play up the beachy vibe in the dining room of her Barbados vacation home. Green-striped slipcovers over teak furniture complement the lush greenery outside and a white ceiling and drapes make the space feel fresh. The gingerbreading is a traditional detail on island houses.

In this luxe library, HGTV star and Toronto designer Tommy Smythe added a TV to the shelving unit to save wall space, and covered the backs of the shelves with a neutral grasscloth wallpaper to balance the dark walls. Placing furniture in front of a bookcase creates a cosy, layered effect.

HGTV star and Toronto designer Tommy Smythe opted out of a formal dining area in favour of a sitting room off the kitchen: “I think it’s just about the truth,” he says. “The kitchen is where everyone wants to be in any house, and in this one, the family can cook, eat, watch TV and talk to each other.” The red tufted sofa ties in with a red pendant light in the kitchen and a red bentwood chair at the dining table.

South of the Tropic of Cancer, Larsen found a home in Baja, Mexico. This simple, 1,300-square-foot one-bedroom home is made of concrete block and plaster. The rustic home blends seamlessly with its stunning surroundings — the Sierra la Laguna mountains, the Pacific Ocean in the distance and miles of desert. Throughout, a neutral palette ensures it’s easy to move furnishings from room to room.

Youssef Habani — of Toronto shop L’Atelier — had special windows installed in his cottage’s guest bunkie to let in fresh air and create an indoor-outdoor feel. Guests can enjoy the view from a white bed and admire the unique trusswork overhead. An exotic end table adds a hit of visual interest in the all-white space.

Designer and homeowner Barbara Purdy converted a wood-burning fireplace to gas to create a cosy focal point in this room. “I couldn’t see myself hauling logs down the stairs,” she says. Radiant heating installed under the wood-look porcelain-tile floor adds even more warmth. The sofa, a hand-me-down from her parents, was recovered and layered with pillows.